1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to boosting an amount of electrical energy available for a motor vehicle from recovered energy sources, including motor vehicle kinetic energy, wind flow, and solar radiation, and providing frictionless braking powered from the recovered energy sources.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The contents of the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION for U.S. Ser. No. 13/476,192 is incorporated herein by reference, which includes discussions under subheadings entitled: a. vehicle energy source recoveries, b. electric retarders, c. regenerative braking, d. wheel/hub motors, and e. converting kinetic rotary wheel motion into electricity generation.
US patent publication no. 2012/0265381 to Lee discloses an electric vehicle having a motor generator, which can control the operation ratio of a motor and a generator, and a driving method therefor. The electric vehicle has a plurality of rotating means; a motor generator including a rotor having a plurality of magnets and a stator having a plurality of induction coils and a plurality of generating coils; a charging unit for charging electric energy produced by the motor generator; a battery unit for storing the electric energy received from the charging unit; an accelerator for controlling the acceleration state of the electric vehicle under control of a driver of the electric vehicle; and control unit for operating at least some of the plurality of induction coils in the motor generator as generating coils, depending on the acceleration state and/or the speed of the electric vehicle, or for operating at least some of the plurality of generating coils in the motor generator as induction coils, depending on the acceleration state and/or the speed of the electric vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,018 to Sullivan discloses aircraft landing gear with a wheel hub motor/generator disks stack that includes alternating rotor and stator disks mounted with respect to the wheel support and wheel. Motive force is applied to the wheel when electrical power is applied, e.g. prior to touch-down, thus decreasing the difference in relative velocities of the tire radial velocity with that of the relative velocity of the runway and reducing the sliding friction wear of the tire. After touchdown the wheel hub motor/generator may be used as a generator thus applying a regenerative braking force and/or a motorized braking action to the wheel. The energy generated upon landing may be dissipated through a resistor and/or stored for later use in providing a source for motive power to the aircraft wheels for taxiing and ground maneuvers of the aircraft. Further, eddy current braking may be used as opposed to electromagnetic braking for which the braking is accomplished by applying electrical current to the stator disk such that the magnetic field of the stator disk induces eddy currents within said rotor disk. Thus there is developed a magnetic torque which generates a braking action upon the wheel of the aircraft. Any combination of the above embodiments may be used in addition to that of friction braking systems currently used, thus increasing the life and aiding the usefulness of the friction braking system as well as reducing the associated maintenance cost by reducing the rate of wear and the number of friction disk required.
European patent EP 1747910 A3 provides for wheel spokes serving as turbine blades that, with the natural movement of the vehicle, will cause an airflow that can suck away heat produced by disc brakes and the engine or introduce an axial airflow from the exterior that cools the disc brakes or engine.
Regenerative Braking
According to the webpage http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/hybridvehicles/a/regenbraking.htm of About.com under the heading Hybrid Cars & Alt Fuels, there is an article by Christine and Scott Gable entitled “How Does Regenerative Braking Work”. The following are excerpts:                Any permanent magnet motor can operate as either a motor or generator. In all-electrics and hybrids, they are more precisely called a motor/generator (M/G).        An AC Motor/Generator Consists of 4 Main Parts:        A shaft-mounted wire wound armature (rotor)        A field of magnets that induce electrical energy stacked side-by-side in a housing (stator)        Slip rings that carry the AC current to/from the armature        Brushes that contact the slip rings and transfer current to/from the electrical circuit        The AC Generator in Action        The armature is driven by a mechanical source of power (for example, in commercial electric power production it would be a steam turbine). As this wound rotor spins, its wire coil passes over the permanent magnets in the stator and an electric current is created in the wires of the armature. But because each individual loop in the coil passes first the north pole then the south pole of each magnet sequentially as it rotates on its axis, the induced current continually, and rapidly, changes direction. Each change of direction is called a cycle, and it is measured in cycles-per-second or hertz (Hz). In the United States, the cycle rate is 60 Hz (60 times per second), while in most other developed parts of the world it is 50 Hz. Individual slip rings are fitted to each of the two ends of the rotor's wire loop to provide a path for the current to leave the armature. Brushes (which are actually carbon contacts) ride against the slip rings and complete the path for the current into the circuit to which the generator is attached.        The AC Motor in Action        Motor action (supplying mechanical power) is in essence the reverse of generator action. Instead of spinning the armature to make electricity, current is fed by a circuit, through the brushes and slip rings and into the armature. This current flowing through the coil wound rotor (armature) turns it into an electromagnet. The permanent magnets in the stator repel this electromagnetic force causing the armature to spin. As long as electricity flows through the circuit, the motor will run.        Most, if not all, hybrids and electrics use an electronic throttle control system. When the throttle pedal is pushed, a signal is sent to the onboard computer, which further activates a relay in the controller that will send battery current through an inverter/converter to the M/G causing the vehicle to move. The harder the pedal is pushed, the more current flows under direction of a variable resistance controller and the faster the vehicle goes. In a hybrid, depending upon load, battery state-of-charge and the design of the hybrid drivetrain, a heavy throttle will also activate the internal combustion engine (ICE) for more power. Conversely, lifting slightly on the throttle will decrease current flow to the motor and the vehicle will slow down. Lifting further or completely off the throttle will cause the current to switch direction—moving the M/G from motor mode to generator mode—and begin the regenerative braking process.        Regenerative Braking: Slowing the Vehicle and Generating Electricity        This is really what the regen mode is all about. With the electronic throttle closed and the vehicle still moving, all of its kinetic energy can be captured to both slow the vehicle and recharge its battery. As the onboard computer signals the battery to stop sending electricity (via the controller relay) and start receiving it (through a charge controller), the M/G simultaneously stops receiving electricity for powering the vehicle and starts sending current back to the battery for charging.        . . . when an M/G is supplied with electricity it makes mechanical power, when it's supplied with mechanical power, it makes electricity. But how does generating electricity slow the vehicle? Friction. It's the enemy of motion. The armature of the M/G is slowed by the force of inducing current in the windings as it passes over the opposing poles in the magnets in the stator (it's constantly battling the push/pull of the opposing polarities). It is this magnetic friction that slowly saps the vehicle's kinetic energy and helps scrub off speed.        
According to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia:                The most common form of regenerative brake involves using an electric motor as an electric generator. In electric railways the generated electricity is fed back into the supply system, whereas in battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles, the energy is stored chemically in a battery, electrically in a bank of capacitors, or mechanically in a rotating flywheel. Hydraulic hybrid vehicles use hydraulic motors and store energy in form of compressed air.        Limitations        Traditional friction-based braking is used in conjunction with mechanical regenerative braking for the following reasons:        The regenerative braking effect drops off at lower speeds; therefore the friction brake is still required in order to bring the vehicle to a complete halt. Physical locking of the rotor is also required to prevent vehicles from rolling down hills.        The friction brake is a necessary back-up in the event of failure of the regenerative brake.        Most road vehicles with regenerative braking only have power on some wheels (as in a two-wheel drive car) and regenerative braking power only applies to such wheels because they are the only wheels linked to the drive motor, so in order to provide controlled braking under difficult conditions (such as in wet roads) friction based braking is necessary on the other wheels.        The amount of electrical energy capable of dissipation is limited by either the capacity of the supply system to absorb this energy or on the state of charge of the battery or capacitors. Regenerative braking can only occur if no other electrical component on the same supply system is drawing power and only if the battery or capacitors are not fully charged. For this reason, it is normal to also incorporate dynamic braking to absorb the excess energy.        Under emergency braking it is desirable that the braking force exerted be the maximum allowed by the friction between the wheels and the surface without slipping, over the entire speed range from the vehicle's maximum speed down to zero. The maximum force available for acceleration is typically much less than this except in the case of extreme high-performance vehicles. Therefore, the power required to be dissipated by the braking system under emergency braking conditions may be many times the maximum power which is delivered under acceleration. Traction motors sized to handle the drive power may not be able to cope with the extra load and the battery may not be able to accept charge at a sufficiently high rate. Friction braking is required to dissipate the surplus energy in order to allow an acceptable emergency braking performance. For these reasons there is typically the need to control the regenerative braking and match the friction and regenerative braking to produce the desired total braking output.        
Eddy Current Braking
According to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia:
Eddy Current Brake                An eddy current brake, like a conventional friction brake, is responsible for slowing an object, such as a train or a roller coaster. However, unlike electro-mechanical brakes, which apply mechanical pressure on two separate objects, eddy current brakes slow an object by creating eddy currents through electromagnetic induction which create resistance, and in turn either heat or electricity.        
Circular Eddy Current Brake                Electromagnetic brakes are similar to electrical motors; non-ferromagnetic metal discs (rotors) are connected to a rotating coil, and a magnetic field between the rotor and the coil creates a resistance used to generate electricity or heat. When electromagnets are used, control of the braking action is made possible by varying the strength of the magnetic field. A braking force is possible when electric current is passed through the electromagnets. The movement of the metal through the magnetic field of the electromagnets creates eddy currents in the discs. These eddy currents generate an opposing magnetic field (Lenz's law), which then resists the rotation of the discs, providing braking force. The net result is to convert the motion of the rotors to heat in the rotors.        Japanese Shinkansen trains had employed circular eddy current brake system on trailer cars since 100 Series Shinkansen. However, N700 Series Shinkansen abandoned eddy current brakes in favour of regenerative brakes since 14 of the 16 cars in the trainset used electric motors.        
Linear Eddy Current Brake                The principle of the linear eddy current brake has been described by the French physicist Foucault, hence in French the eddy current brake is called the “frein à courants de Foucault”.        The linear eddy current brake consists of a magnetic yoke with electrical coils positioned along the rail, which are being magnetized alternating as south and north magnetic poles. This magnet does not touch the rail, as with the magnetic brake, but is held at a constant small distance from the rail (approximately 7 mm).        When the magnet is moved along the rail, it generates a non-stationary magnetic field in the head of the rail, which then generates electrical tension (Faraday's induction law), and causes eddy currents. These disturb the magnetic field in such a way that the magnetic force is diverted to the opposite of the direction of the movement, thus creating a horizontal force component, which works against the movement of the magnet. The braking energy of the vehicle is converted in eddy current losses which lead to a warming of the rail. (The regular magnetic brake, in wide use in railways, exerts its braking force by friction with the rail, which also creates heat.)        The eddy current brake does not have any mechanical contact with the rail, and thus no wear, and creates no noise or odor. The eddy current brake is unusable at low speeds, but can be used at high speeds both for emergency braking and for regular braking.[1]        The TSI (Technical Specifications for Interoperability) of the EU for trans-European high speed rail recommends that all newly built high speed lines should make the eddy current brake possible.        The first train in commercial circulation to use such a braking system has been the ICE 3.        Modern roller coasters also use this type of braking, but in order to avoid the risk of potential power outages, they utilize permanent magnets instead of electromagnets, thus not requiring any power supply, however, without the possibility to adjust the braking strength as easily as with electromagnets.        
A Telma retarder is frictionless electromagnetic braking system made by Telma, a company that is part of the Valeo group, a French automotive components manufacturer. A Telma retarder is an eddy current brake system.
The system works by energizing coils with alternating polarities in order to create an electromagnetic field. Eddy currents are generated in two rotors as they pass through this field, applying a braking torque to their rotation and therefore to the driveshafts attached to them. The stator houses the electromagnetic coils and is attached to the chassis, the transmission or an axle of the vehicle. Round discs called rotors are attached to the driveline. A thin air gap is maintained between the rotors and the coils. In normal operation, the rotor turns freely but when electric current flows through the coils, eddy currents are created that apply braking torque to the rotors and therefore to the driveline.
A frictionless braking system acts as a completely independent back-up braking system, and remains operative whatever the temperature. And because the mechanism is frictionless, brake fade is practically eliminated while the mechanism virtually never wears out. Stop-and-go driving can quietly destroy a vehicle's friction brakes, causing it to overshoot a busy intersection. By performing most of the vehicle deceleration before the foundation brakes are even applied, the frictionless braking system increases the safe stopping ability of the vehicle, and extends the life of the traditional brakes.
According to an online webpage at http://electricalsimplified.blogspot.com/2011/09/eddy-current-brakes.html that is entitled “Electrical Simplified . . . !!!”:                An eddy current brake, unlike electro-mechanical brakes, which apply mechanical pressure on two separate objects, slow an object by creating eddy currents through electromagnetic induction which create resistance, and in turn either heat or electricity. Magnetic brakes are silent and are much smoother than friction brakes, gradually increasing the braking power so that the people on the ride do not experience rapid changes in acceleration. Eddy current brakes are made from a large electrically conducting object moving through a stationary magnetic field. The magnet can be either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The movement can be either in a straight line or circular. When a metallic wheel passes between the rows of magnets, eddy currents are generated. Because of the tendency of eddy currents to oppose, eddy currents cause energy to be lost. More accurately, eddy currents transform more useful forms of energy, such as kinetic energy, into heat, which is generally much less useful. During braking, the metal wheels are exposed to a magnetic field from an electromagnet, generating eddy currents in the wheels. The magnetic interaction between the applied field and the eddy currents acts to slow the wheels down. The faster the wheels are spinning, the stronger the effect since large speed produces large change in flux and hence large amount of eddy current which is proportional to force, meaning that as the train slows the braking force is reduced, producing a smooth stopping motion. This very property, however, is also one of magnetic breaking's disadvantages in that the eddy force itself can never completely stop a train in ideal condition.        
According to an online article at http://www.thyssenkrupp-magnettechnik.com/en/eddy-current-couplings-and-brakes.php that is entitled “Eddy current couplings and brakes” by the company ThyssenKrupp Magnettechnik:                In eddy current clutches and brakes the temperature coefficient of the copper is considered along with the temperature coefficient of the magnet. Eddy current clutches and brakes heat up considerably due to the development of eddy currents with increasing rpm.; with temperature increase the value of the torque attainable decreases considerably. If cooling is not provided, temperatures up to 200° C. at relative rpm of 1000/min can occur on the copper disc whereby the torque decreases by 50%. The losses thereby incurred are partly irreversible. They can only be recovered by remagnetisation. If the temperature is kept below 50° C., the decrease in torque is only about 10%.        
Thus, eddy current brakes can be expected to heat up considerably from the eddy currents that arise. It is desired to prevent such heat build-up for eddy current brakes and to generate electricity while the eddy current brakes are idle, i.e., not effecting braking, by utilizing all inductive and conductive elements that might otherwise be utilized by the eddy current brakes when braking.